The Haute Route is one of Europe's best known long distance ski-touring routes; running roughly parallel is a spectacular summer trek from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn. Covering approximately 100km, it links the valleys of the Haute Savoie in France to the Swiss Valais. Following our guide (IML),our tour passes beneath ten of the twelve highest mountains in the Alps. Walking through a landscape scattered with glistening glacial lakes and lush, undulating valleys by day whilst sleeping in remote alpine huts and under canvas by night.

Walk profile

Daily distance in km/miles:

Day 3

15.0km/9.3miles

Day 4

15.0km/9.3miles

Day 5

15.0km/9.3miles

Day 6

16.0km/9.9miles

Day 7

10.0km/6.2miles

Day 8

16.0km/9.9miles

Day 10

20.0km/12.4miles

Day 11

20.0km/12.4miles

Day 12

14.0km/8.7miles

Day 13

12.0km/7.5miles

Number of days walking: 13

Pace: Approximately 6-8 hours walking per day

Terrain: Low altitude; good paths with some steep ascents

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Start at Les Bossons, near Chamonix.

Start at the campsite in Les Bossons. Wonderful views from the campsite of Mont Blanc and the Bossons glacier, especially at sunset. In the evening there is an introductory briefing by the trek crew.See more images and videos

2Day 2Free day in the Chamonix Valley.

This is a limbering up day and there are several good walks nearby. Alternatively, take the cable car (optional) to the Aiguille du Midi for outstanding close-up views of Mont Blanc, the Chamonix Valley and the surrounding peaks.See more images and videos

3Day 3The trail contours high in the valley before descending to Les Frasserands.

From Les Bossons (1,012m/3320ft) we have a short bus journey to Chamonix from where we take the cable car to Plan Praz (1,999m/6560ft). The trail is on the opposite side of the valley from Mt. Blanc and affords excellent views of the whole massif lying to the south. We ascend to reach the high point of the day at Lac Blanc (2352m/7715ft). The trail descends and then contours high above the valley before descending steeply to the hamlet of Les Frasserands (1,371m/4500ft). In the afternoon there is a very short section of ladders/steep steps with handrails to descend.

We begin by climbing steeply to the Aiguillette de Posettes (2201m/7200ft), descend a little and then ascend towards the Col de Balme (2,191m/7190ft) where we walk across the border from France to Switzerland. Excellent views all morning of Aiguille d'Argentiere and Aiguille du Tour and its glacier. After lunch we descend to the small hamlet of Trient (1,296m/4250ft). Good views of the Trient Glacier. Rough camp near Trient.
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5Day 5Over Fenetre d'Arpette to Champex.

In good weather we take the trail adjacent to the Trient Glacier to cross a high rocky pass known as Fenetre d'Arpette (2,665m/8740ft) before descending steeply into the Arpette Valley (1,627m/5340ft) and down to our campsite in Champex (1486m 4880ft). In poor weather we would take the lower trail, which climbs first to the Col de Forclaz (1527m/5010ft) from where we can look down into the Rhone valley. The Swiss town of Martigny is in sight far below, as we follow the 'Bovine route' to Champex-Lac.
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6Day 6From Champex the trail leads to Verbier and on to Cabane Mont Fort.

From Champex we walk down to Sembrancher (717m/2350ft) then travel by train and bus to the ski resort of Verbier (1,490m/4880ft). We ascend steeply through forests and then open hillsides to reach our first mountain hut, the Cabane de Montfort (2457m/8060ft) from where we have good views of the Grand Combin and of the Mont Blanc Massif in the distance.
Mountain huts have shared dormitory style accommodation with basic toilet and washing facilities only. The support vehicle is unable to reach this hut so we need to do some light backpacking until we re-join it in two days time.

7Day 7Cross the highest pass of the route, Col Prafleuri (2965m). Views of Rhone Valley, Mont Blanc, the Grand Combin and the Matterhorn.

A long day. We start with steady accent to the Col de la Chaux (2940m/9643ft). If we're lucky we may spot herds of Ibex. From here we descend steeply before climbing to the Col de Louvie (2921m/9580ft ) and onwards towards the Grand Desert glacier. We pass by small tarns fed by the outflows of the glacier and ascend for our final pass the Col Prafleuri (2987m/9800ft) - the highest col on the route - with views of the Rosablanche and Mont Blanc de Cheilon. It is then a straightforward descent to the Cabane Prafleuri (2624m/8600ft). Again the support vehicle will be unable to reach us so we will be doing light backpacking to this remote mountain hut.

Our route today starts with a short climb to cross the Col de Roux (2804m/9200ft). We descend across large boulders to Lac Dix (2364m/7750ft) and walk around its shoreline before climbing again above the glacier Dix, through meadows, which during the summer are quite often filled with edelweiss, to make a steep ascent on loose scree to the Col du Reidmatten (2919m/9570ft). Excellent views of the Pigne d'Arolla, Mont Collon and possibly the Matterhorn in the distance. Finally, a long descent brings us to the small and charming village of Arolla (1998m/6550 ft), from where we catch a bus to Les Hauderes (1,436m/4710ft). Here we are met by the support vehicle.
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9Day 9Static Day

A static day. Most people will be happy to spend the day just relaxing and enjoying the mountain air. The twin villages of Les Hauderes and Evolene lie in the most picturesque part of the Val de Herens and there are many day walks in the area.See more images and videos

10Day 10Past Lac Moiry to the picture-postcard village of Grimentz.

Today we have a big climb to reach our col where we'll be rewarded with stunning views. We climb first to Villa (1730m/5675ft) then on to cross the Col Torrent (2919m/9575ft) and enjoy vast mountain views; the Pigne d'Arolla, the Grand Combin, the Weisshorn, and make a long descent past Lac de Moiry (2249m/7380ft) to the woods above the picture postcard village of Grimentz (1572m/5150ft).
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11Day 11Longest walking day with excellent views of the Weisshorn.

A long day that starts with a gentle walk through woods to reach the valley bottom at Mottec (1556m/5100ft). From here there is a short but steep climb to join the main trail at a higher level with fine views of the Matterhorn and Ober Gabelhorn. The climb continues to today's col, the Forcletta (2874m/9426ft) where we enter German-speaking Switzerland. We have views back to Grand Combin and possibly Mont Blanc as well. Descend, with views of the Weisshorn to the southeast, to the Turtman Valley and Gruben (1822m/5975ft). This is the longest walking day. As there is no campsite in the Gruben valley we stay in dormitories in a local auberge and our bags are brought up by the support vehicle.
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We climb again to cross the Augstbord pass (2894m/9490ft) with good views of the Weisshorn and the 'Dom' and join the main Zermatt Valley high on its western side. We descend to cross the Emdbach and soon after get our first views of the Zermatt Valley plus the Weisshorn, Kleine Matterhorn and Taschorn. Descend to Jungu (1955m/6410ft.) and on to St. Niklaus (1127m/3700ft) either by walking or by an optional cable car, from where we travel by train or taxi to our last camp at Randa (1439m/4720ft).
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13Day 13Join the Europaweg, a high-level balcony path that contours along the valley towards Zermatt.

The final day of walking. Today we head to Tasch from where we ascend to join the Europaweg at (1930m/6330ft) This high-level balcony path contours along the Zermatt valley with stunning views of the Matterhorn, the peaks of Monte Rosa and the town of Zermatt itself. In the afternoon there's the option to descend directly to Zermatt town centre for a well-deserved cold beer or alternatively to continue to the traditional hamlet of Findeln and descend from there. We return to camp by minibus taxi.
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14Day 14Optional trip to Zermatt.

From our camp near Randa it is a short train or minibus trip (optional) to Zermatt. Being traffic-free, Zermatt is an ideal place for a free day: there are lots of opportunities for short or long walks in the locality, or one can simply relax in town. There are also lots of optional excursions: for example by mountain cog railway to Gornergrat for spectacular views of the Gorner Glacier and Monte Rosa. Perhaps the most spectacular however is the cable car ascent to Kleine Matterhorn. Using this optional cable car, those who wish may ascend to the peak at 3,883 m. The all-round views here are exceptional, including close-ups of the Matterhorn and Breithorn.See more images and videos

Your images

Adult Group

This is a small group adult holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 14 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You have a good level of fitness and are looking for a physically challenging holiday. Previous experience is essential for activity based trips.

What's included

What's included

All breakfasts, 10 picnic lunches, 12 dinners

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request - tent nights only)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Camping, Mountain Huts & Village Inn

You will spend 11 nights camping, 2 nights in mountain huts and 1 night in dormitory style rooms in a village inn. Most campsites are comfortable with modern facilities, hot showers, electricity to recharge batteries etc. You will spend at least 2 nights in rough camps with minimal facilities.

Single supplement available from GBP95 (for nights in tents only) - on request

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
No visa required for British passport holders.
There are no specific health risks. Holiday style

This trip is graded Activity level 5 - Challenging and some of the days are indeed challenging with up to 1600m of ascent and on other days similar descents. On some days when we cross glacial moraine the terrain is rough and loose underfoot. There are also some steep sections with chains provided to give support. The cumulated fatigue of hard trekking for two weeks should not be underestimated.

As this is a group holiday you need to be confident that your fitness will allow you to enjoyably walk at a consistent and steady pace that matches the group average, therefore allowing the group to finish the day at a reasonable time. You will also enjoy the trek a great deal more if your fitness allows you to walk the route in relative ease.

There is one qualified International Mountain Leader (IML) that accompanies the group throughout and it is their decision if you will be able to accompany the group on any particular day. For safety reasons the group leader may also change their walking style from one where everyone walks at their own pace to one where the group walks together at the speed of the slowest, depending on the conditions, weather and visibility. This scenery on this trip is stunning, and may well be the best walking you have ever done, but it is important to be prepared and have a high level of walking fitness and stamina.

Whilst camping the support leader will erect your tent but in the morning you will be expected to pack away your own tent (these are modern pop up style tents that are very easy and quick to fold away and pack) and the whole group generally helps to load the support vehicle on the days when we move camp. After breakfast and on the nights when we eat in camp you should expect to help with the washing up.

Maximum altitude 2,987m, average 1,525m

Eating & drinking

All breakfasts, 10 picnic lunches and 12 dinners are included in this trip. On eight nights we take our evening meal in camp and on four nights we take our evening meal in a nearby local restaurant or it is prepared for us by the hut or inn. The restaurant and hut/inn meals, which are prepared for us, are usually arranged as a 'menu' for the whole group and as they are based on special negotiations made by us represent better value than eating independently. On free days 9 and 14 dinner is not included and needs to be bought locally. Please note that should the times of flights change to arrive earlier, or depart later, additional meals will not be included. Please also note that no refund will be given for meals not taken or taken other than where designated.

Typical Meals

Breakfast: Will usually consist of coffee, tea, cereal, yoghurt, fresh fruit, bread, jam when in camp or in mountain huts; and coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, bread and jam when in mountain inns.

Evening meal: Whether in camp or in a nearby restaurant the evening meal will usually include a first course of soup, salad or charcuterie, a main course with one or two vegetables, rice or pasta, followed by a dessert course. Beer, wine, other drinks, bottled water, coffee or tea are not included in the price of evening meals taken in restaurants. Coffee and tea are included with the evening meal when we eat in camp and beer and wine are also available for purchase at a modest cost having been bought by the driver during the day. Please be aware that, as this is a camping trek, cooking facilities are necessarily limited.

Vegetarians: We do make an effort to cater for vegetarian diets but you should not expect the variety of food that you may have at home. In Europe most hotels and restaurants are not geared up to providing separate vegetarian menus, especially smaller establishments in the mountains. Vegetarians will usually find that there is little difficulty, as long as they are prepared to be reasonably flexible.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want to know about this trip, including
detailed itinerary and full kit list

Weather & seasonality

From late June to early October fair weather is to be expected, but all mountain ranges create their own weather patterns and the Alps are no exception. It can and does rain and especially on the high passes it can be surprisingly cold at times. Expected daytime temperatures are in the range of 15 to 25degC in the valleys (although it can sometimes reach 30degC in July/August), 5 to 15degC on the passes (though it will feel colder if wet and windy) and 5 to 15degC in the valley at night; possibly a little lower early and late in the season. There is always the possibility of snow, even in August, and in September trips may find snow on the passes. Please be aware that on late season treks (September) the days are shorter and we will need to make early starts to make the most of the available daylights hours.

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Reviews & community

We were a little unfortunate with the weather in that we had a full week with minimal views, quite a lot of rain and very low cloud which was disappointing and at times frustrating. However we had a great group and learnt to recognise a lot of alpine flowers, as this was all we could see at times. We really appreciated the expansive views when the sun finally came out. The tents were a really good size for two and Charlie whipped up some fantastic meals in camp.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Finally getting to see some fantastic views after a week of minimal visibility.

What did you think of your group leader?

Jenny was keen to keep the group together during the day, and make sure the group didn't get too split up. She did a good job at trying to keep morale up when the route had to be changed on several occasions as it was too dangerous in the snow and poor visibility to go across the highest pass of the route to Col Prafleuri, having already had to go on the low route rather than go on the path near the Trient Glacier.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Be prepared to experience days with poor weather and limited visibility, rather than just the picture perfect blue sky photos in the advertising for this trip. Also pack clothes/layers for all temperatures from a really hot sunny day to a cold winter's day - we experienced it all.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

At times the group will be encouraged to take and pay for additional cable cars/chair lifts not described in the trip notes. Also at times it felt more like a coffee stop tour rather than a walking tour, but that may just have been our revised focus due to the poor weather we experienced.

excellent guide (Mike Rhodes) - right out of the top drawer. Would have enjoyed it more and would have been happy to pay more if the trek focused on Auberge accommodation. Under canvas is not the best way to prepare oneself for a daily slog.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

First sight of the Matterhorn from a col

What did you think of your group leader?

Warm, accomplished, highly experienced, confident with an easy relaxed style - but we still all knew who was in charge. Right out of the top drawer.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Despite the bulk, try to take a substantial mat for sleeping on the hard ground. Self-inflating but with a 5cm height would be preferable.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

An outstanding and challenging trip. The mix of day walking and light backpacking, and the slow transition from France, French Switzerland to German Switzerland meant every day was subtly different and interesting. The reward of the Matterhorn on the last day was mesmerising.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

For me, there were several. Finally getting to see the Matterhorn was superb. I don't know who Exodus pays to do the weather, but they pay well - it was bathed in shining sun and was a worthy end to the trip.

The challenge of getting up the Fenetre d'Arpette, Col du Reidmatten and Col du Torrent was immense. It was hard work, no doubt, but the views and feeling of elation was worth it.

The best of all was chatting to a fellow tripper Mike, an engineer, experienced alpiniste, mountain walker and an inspiration. More of one of life's adventurers really, who had some amazing tales, like pushing a pram from London to Leicester in under 12 hours! It goes to show that the group really make the holiday and in this case, ours was excellent.

What did you think of your group leader?

I felt Simon was an excellent guide. His hands off style really suited me as I felt I could try and walk on his (very fit) heels if I wanted to push myself, but equally, I could stroll at the back in my own time and not feel under pressure to be in sight at all times. It was quite refreshing to be "off the leash" a little as some Exodus trip-notes describe how a leader might allow everyone to walk at their own pace, but I'd yet to experience it. Again, it underlines how having a sensible, fit and smart group can really be the making of the holiday.

Simon dealt well with the variable walking styles in the group too. Some wanted to walk and stop, have a paddle or take photos, others just wanted to push on, so it was nice to see trust from him to allow people to come on in their own time while he steered the diesel engines who just ploughed on relentlessly up front.

I suffered with an ongoing injury that mean I had to sit out two days of walking (hence the ish), but I communicated with Simon each night as required to get an idea of what was coming, how I was feeling and so on and always felt looked after. In the end it came down to this for me - I had total faith that if there was a problem, Simon would deal with it perfectly.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Go for it. It's a great route, and don't be put off by it sharing some of the TMB route at the start, if you've done that before. Even a month apart, the hillsides are totally different.

If you're new to alpine dorms be aware, you might get a bunk bed, but equally, you might end up in an eight person wide mega-bunk. There's plenty of room and your own pillow and duvet (plus your liner) but private it ain't. It pays to get in early and bag a tidy spot, preferably next to a good friend. Earplugs and something to cover your eyes, like a Buff, really help too.

Eat many rostis. With cheese, egg, bacon, ham, whatever. They're such good fuel and super tasty.

If you're thinking of saving money by bringing your own chocolate bars in, this works really well, until they all melt horribly and you have to put them in a stream to make them solid again. Maybe muesli bars are the way to go?

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The only minor grumble in a five star trip is the lunch rations were a little meagre. Not even the fillings - there was always plenty of filling, just never quite enough bread. It got better in the second half of the trip, but no one wants to be a hungry little soldier!

Otherwise, in my deeply biased view, this is an excellent trip. Some of this is based on luck - I got great weather, a great guide and best of all, a fit, fun and great group - but much is simply due to the stunning terrain over which you walk each day, from high alpage, hot valley floor, picturesque Swiss villages, past clanking cattle, up thigh-screamingly steep cols with chains to pull you skywards and glacial streams to cool your feet (and more) off.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

Can I skip a day's walking?

The leader will be able to advise on how you can reach the next night’s campsite using public transport. There is a reasonable bus service in many of the areas visited. Please contact Exodus directly if you require any further information.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

Do I have to put my own tent up and help with chores?

You do have to put your own tent up each evening and take it down each morning but this doesn’t take very long. It would be appreciated if you helped out with a few camp chores such as washing up and clearing the table and you will have to make your own sandwiches before each walking day.

Katarzyna Crompton - Customer Operations

What are the mountain huts like?

After trekking in high winds across mountaintops, they are truly welcome. They're not as most comfortable as hotels but are better than tents! They can be noisy at nights (people wandering in and out of the dorms, and people snoring!) so ear plugs are essential if you want a good night's sleep. The evening meals that are served are proper winter warmers which will fuel you up ready for another hard day in the mountains!

Olly Leicester - Sales

What is the food like while camping?

Breakfasts consist of bread, cereals, yoghurt and plenty of tea and coffee. Each morning, fresh ingredients are laid out for you to make your own choice of sandwiches. A range of fillings are available, including some suitable for vegetarians. Fruit is also provided. On many of the walking days it is possible to stop at one or more mountain refuges which serve a range of refreshments including some delicious cakes and tarts. In the evening a hot meal will either be cooked for you in camp or we will eat out at a local restaurant. A vegetarian option will be made available but there may not be the choice of dishes that you would get in the UK.

Katarzyna Crompton - Customer Operations

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